GLUCOSE METER USE IN NURSERIES - ERROR GRID EVALUATES CLINICAL ACCURACY

We evaluated the clinical accuracy of the Accuchek Ilm (Boehringer Mannheim, Montreal, Quebec, Can) glucose meter in our nurseries. We began by establishing an error grid. We then determined the effect of bilirubin on the accuracy of meter-determined blood glucose and investigated the effect of using the fourth drop of blood to measure blood glucose as opposed to the first drop following capillary puncture. We also investigated the effect of using a drop of blood placed onto the test strip from a heparinized capillary tube as opposed to placing the drop onto the test strip directly from the skin puncture. Results show that only use of the heparinized capillary tube bad any effect on the accuracy of the meter-determined blood glucose, resulting in a significant improvement (P<.01). We thus found the Accuchek IIm glucose meter to provide blood-glucose results of sufficient accuracy to be clinically useful in nurseries.